Device for applying liquid from a container to the hair



May 1, 1951 E. J. LOEFFLER DEVICE FOR APPLYING LIQUID FROM A CONTAINER TU THE HAIR m Filed Jan. 20, 1945 M F a 4 J m. w M

INVENTOR.

BY ATTORNEY.

Patented May I, 1951 DEVICE FOR APPLYINGLIQUID FRGMA "CONTAINER, TOTHE Hid-IR .EdmuridZJJLoe'ffler,Glendale,-=Galif.

Application January 20, I945,"Seria;l No. 5573;78'5

' 4..Claims. 1 This invention relates to .devices .for applying -dressingior other liquids to the hair or :scalp. ln'the past it has been .the custom to apply liquids to the hair .or'scalp by applyin a small :amount to the hands, afterwards rubbing the l'h'ands through the hair to distribute the liquid .more orless evenly through the hair. This is o'b'j ectionable in that :it is messy and wasteful.

.It is proposed to provide a dispensing means .:for liquids to be applied to the hair "and which will form part of the container for the liquid.

It is itherefore'tan object of the present invention :to provide adevicerfor applying liquids to thezhair or scalp which .does not require appli- -cation =of the hands .to the hair.

ItJ-is a further object of the present invention to "provide a :liquidsapplicator for the .hair "which will. evenly coat :the .ahair by merely being passed 'therethrough.

: It is further objectof the present .invention' :seyeral-embodiments of the invention. For this purpose there are shown two fiormsinztheadrawings accompanying .and .forming part of the present specification. These forms, which illustrate the general principles-bithe inventiom'iwill :nowbe described in detail; butiit is to beunderstood that this-detailed description is not to be taken in a. limiting sense, since the :scope -.of

the invention is best defined :by the appended l dlaims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a general perspective view of a device embodying one form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan of the device shown in Figure 1; a

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section of a modified form of the invention.

In the drawings, the invention is shown embodied in a closure device secured to the mouth or outlet of a container for the liquid to be applied to the hair or scalp. Upon inversion of the container, the device can be readily passed over and through the hair, the container serving con .2 weniently as ahandle. As'hereinafter described, the device serves effectively-inco-ntrollingthe flow 'of liquidffrom thecontainer-a'nd iniits-applioation to the-hair as' the device passed there- "through in a more orless brushing manner.

When "the device isaiot'in .use'iand the container is in an upright position, the device serves as a plosure ineans f-or the container.

*In Figures 1 to 3, the container is shown :in the form of a "bottle 10, having :an externally threaded neck portion I l by which the applicator, generally des ignated ll, is "secured thereto.

The applicator 1 2 is inthe formlof a cap havcontainer neck and secured to the mouth *of 'the eontainer. sopositionedpthe top l 5 -o'f the cap extends across the rnouth of the :container, and-agasket l-B =clamped between the top :of the cap anttthe end 035 the bottle neck provides a fluid tight sealaround "the m'outh of the con- "tainer ate prevent leakage of liquid :along :the

"threads.

Mounted -Orr-"the top 15 of t'he cap I 2 is azmem- 'ber l 1 comprising a th-i-n layer iiahaVing fingers 18 extending-from its-surface. I hese fingers ara "'preferably made resilient in'order that their passage acrossthe scalp will produce the desired stimulating and massaging action without his- -conifoht' 'to the person whose scalp' or 'iha'ir is undergoing treatment. Thus, the mem'ber i 'l may be formed of neoprene, or some other suitable *material which is not-afiected by the liquid to be applied to the "hair and scalp. The layerpr base portion 11a. of *the "member ll' maybe of irig'idrmaterial and the fingers resilient; or there 'imigh t even he "occas'ion wlhere'iit "would ibe desirable to make the fingers rigid, although in such case, the manipulation of the device over the scalp would require more care to prevent discome fort to the person Whose scalp was undergoing treatment.

The layer Ila of the member I! is adhesively secured to the top l5 of the cap I4 in a manner to produce a fluid tight seal between the joined surfaces of these two members.

On the layer Ha there is secured a layer of porous material 19 through which the fingers l8 extend. This layer may be of any suitable material which is sufiiciently porous to absorb the liquid to be'applied to the hair, and preferably one which will not disintegrate or become otherwise affected by the oil or other liquids employed. As an example, felt has been found to be a satisfactory material from which to make the layer l9. This layer may also be secured to the layer Ila by any suitable adhesive material. Instead of felted or fabric materials, the layer i9 might be made of other porous material such as, for instance, synthetic sponge rubber.

It will be noted that an opening 29 extends through the layers l5 and I1, rendering the interior of the container or bottle it continuously communicative with the layer I9. Thus, when the bottle I0 is inverted the liquid within the container l0 flows onto and is absorbed by the porous material l9. As the fingers l8 and saturated layer i'la are passed over the hair, liquid on the exposed surface of the saturated layer [9 is wiped onto the hair. The passage of the fingers l8 through the hair during this process tends to separate the hair so that a greater surface of the hair is contacted by the oily surface of the layer 19. Additionally, liquid from the saturated layer [9 tends to creep or flow along the surfaces of the resilient fingers l8, whence it is transferred to the hair as the fingers pass therethrough. By pressing the resilient fingers against the scalp as they are combed through the hair, an effective invigorating or massaging action can be imparted to the scalp at the same time the liquid is being applied to the hair.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figure 4, the fingers are connected directly to a porous or absorbent element 25, which may be secured adhesively, or in any other suitable manner, to the closure for the container, which in this case is shown as a plug or cork 2B. The member 25 and fingers 2! may be formed of a porous or absorbent material similar to that of the member I9. An opening 28 communicates between the element 25 and the interior of the container ID to conduct liquid to the element when the container is inverted. When the member 25 is formed of felt or the like, the fingers are of course somewhat rigid, but due to the nature of such material, the ends of the fingers will not injure the scalp. If the member 25 is made of sponge rubber, the fingers are of course readily yieldable in response to pressure against the scalp. When both the fingers and portion-to which they are attached are of porous material, the liquid flows from the base portion into the fingers so that an oily surface is provided on the surface of the fingers as well as on the exposed surface of the member 25.

' I claim:

1. A closure for a container in the form of a cap adapted to be secured by its lower portion to the mouth of the container, a layer of material having a plurality of fingers integral therewith, said layer overlying and being secured to the top portion of said cap, said fingers projecting upwardly from said layer, and a pad of porous material overlying and secured to said layer, said fingers passing through openings in said pad, said cap and said layer having registering openings adapted to form communication between the interior of said container and said pad of porous material.

2. A closure for a container in the form of a cap adapted to be secured by its lower portion to the mouth of the container with the top of the cap extending over said mouth, a plurality of fingers secured to said top and projecting upwardly therefrom, a pad of porous material mounted eXteriorly on said top and having openings through which said fingers extend, said top having a through opening communicating with the container mouth when the cap is mounted on the container, said pad extending across said opening and forming a closure therefor controlling the passage of liquid from said container.

3. A device for applying liquid to the hair comprising: a cap adapted 'to be secured by its skirt to a container for the liquid, with the top of the cap extending over the mouth thereof, said top having a through opening disposed over said mouth for passing liquid from said container, a porous layer secured on the exterior of said top and over said opening forming a closure therefor for controlling the passage of liquid from the container, said layer having an exposed outer surface for distributing said liquid by contact with the hair; and fingers attached to said cap projecting outwardly therefrom through said layer.

4. A device for applying liquid to the hair comprising: a cap-like closure member adapted to be secured by its skirt to the mouth of a container for the liquid, and having a top with an opening registering with said mouth; a porous layer carried by said top extending over said opening and forming a closure for said mouth for controlling the passage of liquid from said container; said layer having an exposed outer surface for distributing said liquid by contact with the hair; and fingers projecting upwardly from said layer.

EDMUND J. LOEFFLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,047,338 Tompkin Dec. 17, 1912 1,064,641 Halstead June 10, 1913 1,230,683 Daly June 19, 1917 2,048,689 Feasel July 28, 1936 2,260,100 Deitrich et al Oct. 21, 1941 

